


I Think I Love You

by fishFriends



Category: Homestuck
Genre: Alternate Universe - No Sburb Session, First Kiss, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Abuse, Love Confessions, M/M, Recreational Drug Use, Short One Shot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-12
Updated: 2020-03-12
Packaged: 2021-03-01 04:34:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,020
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23119315
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fishFriends/pseuds/fishFriends
Summary: It's a cool summer night. Dave shows up at John's house after a strife with his brother, and John does what he can to help him.
Relationships: John Egbert/Dave Strider
Kudos: 71





	I Think I Love You

There’s a soft tap on John’s window and the moonless night sky made it hard to see the figure crouched a. He pulls his glasses on as he gets out of bed and opens the window.

“Dave? What time is it?” John asks in a groggy voice, stepping aside to let the other boy in. Dave slips into John’s room and drops a packed duffel bag onto the floor. It probably had enough clothes for a few days, but that was plenty of time. John checks his phone for the time and sees a message that Dave had sent about an hour ago that simply read, ‘ _coming over.’_ John takes a deep inhale to sigh, but his breath turns into a yawn halfway through. He rubs at his blue eyes, sparkling in the starlight despite the sleep that pulled on the lids. He sits down on his bed and pats the spot next to him.

Dave looks over at John’s bed and his facial expression softens, his Addams apple bobbing as he swallows a small sob. He sits down beside John and puts his head in his hands with a shaky sigh. He flinches only slightly at the feeling of John’s gentle touch on his back.

“Do you need to shower? Maybe some food?” John offers, his eyes glancing to the dark stains on Dave’s shirt that were almost hidden by his jacket. “There’s a first aid kit in the bathroom. Go take a hot shower, I’ll grab some Oreos from the kitchen, okay?”

Dave’s shoulders relax as an almost silent chuckle leaves his lips. “Thanks mom.” He teases, leaning into John’s touch now but just enough for their shoulders to touch. “I think you’re worse than Rose.”

“I care about you, is that a crime?” John teases back. He felt reassured that Dave was responding to him. It meant tonight wasn’t as bad as it could be. As Dave gets up and walks on silent feet to the bathroom down the hall, John couldn’t help but feel a pang of hurt in his chest. It seemed cruel to him that Dave had to live like this. Dave didn’t have a car either, which meant that he had to walk all the way here from his brother’s apartment.

John’s head floods with ideas about keeping Dave here forever, or maybe he could couch jump between him, Rose, and Jade. John imagined himself giving Dave’s bro a piece of his mind, and imagined his words actually having an impact. If only saving him could be that easy. John grabbed the Oreos from the pantry and quickly scribbles a note for his dad in the morning to explain that Dave was going to stay for a few days. He heads back up to his room and slips in as Dave was putting on a clean shirt. There wasn’t a towel anywhere, so John assumed that he had simply patched up the bleeding.

“We can wash your clothes in the morning.” He sits down on the bed with his Oreos and opens up the package. Then he looks up at Dave, expecting him to join on the bed again, but instead he was rooting around in his duffel for something. “Dave?”

Dave lets out a soft sigh and runs his hand through his hair. “I left my lighter back in the apartment.”

“Oh… We have painkillers if that’s what you need…” John trails off a little as he watches Dave put a joint between his lips. He gets up and heads over to his desk, grabbing the little Bic lighter he kept for Dave and tossing it to him. Dave catches it and shoots him a grateful smile in return. He heads over to the open window and lights the end, watching as John joins him at the window.

“Painkillers don’t really work anymore. Plus, this helps me, ya know, process.” Dave explains, making sure to keep the smoke out of John’s room.

“I know, I know… I wish you didn’t need it though.” John’s eyes close as he leans against Dave’s shoulder. They stay like that for who knows how long. John nearly falls asleep a few times, or maybe he actually did at some point. He wasn’t really sure. When he finally opens his eyes again, he saw that the joint was almost done. John reaches out and takes it from Dave, finishing it off himself before wrapping it up with some lotion in a tissue and tossing it in the trash beside his desk. Dave falls onto the bed, putting his hands behind his head as his eyes close behind the shades.

“I ever tell you you’re probably the best friend a guy could ask for?” Dave asks as John climbs into the bed beside him.

“I think so, why?” John lays on his side, eyes connecting each of the freckles and scars and little bits of facial hair on Dave’s face. Everything seemed so perfectly still. Dave turns his head to look up at John.

“Because you are.” His words were soft in a way that made John’s heart skip a beat. Dave leans up a little to press their foreheads together, and, even though he was wearing his shades, John could feel his eyes on him. All it took was the subtle touch of Dave’s hand on John’s forearm to make him close the distance.

It was like fireworks were dancing off his lips and a loving warmth was swirling around in his head and chest as John felt Dave’s chapped-by-the-cold lips pressing back. John’s hand moves to rest softly on Dave’s chest as the other’s hand moves up to his shoulder, holding him close. Not that John was going to pull away any time soon.

Time passes around them, birds wake up, crickets quiet, and light begins to come in from the window. It felt like eternity and only mere moments at the same time. Their lips separate, the cool air of early morning rushing between them, but not breaking the spell as John looks down into those tinted shades.

“I think I’m in love with you…”


End file.
